Tyler Beer and Wine Sales Petition Nearing Completion

A petition promoting the sale of beer and wine in the City of Tyler and Smith County Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 has gained three quarters of the signatures required to place it on the November 6 ballot.

A spokesperson for the “Buy Local First Committee” says the group is confident they will have the 14,500 signatures needed to present to the Tyler City Council and Smith County Commissioners by the June 25deadline.

The signatures will then be verified for registered voters in Tyler and JP 2 which includes Southwest Tyler, Bullard, Noonday and Flint. Residents who are unsure if they qualify to sign the petition can check their voter registration card which indicates if they live in Smith County Precinct 2.

Citizens can sign two petitions, one calling for a local option election that would include the legal sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption only and to expand the current legal sale of alcohol in restaurants in all of JP 2 -- which includes southwestern Tyler, Flint, Noonday and Bullard.

That particular issue was overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2008 and would expand to more areas, as well as eliminates the private membership requirement at establishments that serve alcohol.